U.S. patent application number 11/152961 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-22 for lottery game system and method.
Invention is credited to Harrison, Joseph E..
Application Number | 20050280210 11/152961 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35479831 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050280210 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Harrison, Joseph E. |
December 22, 2005 |
Lottery game system and method
Abstract
A system and method for playing a lottery game based on a card
game which may have both instant win aspects and lottery drawing
aspects.
Inventors: |
Harrison, Joseph E.;
(University Heights, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PEARNE & GORDON LLP
1801 EAST 9TH STREET
SUITE 1200
CLEVELAND
OH
44114-3108
US
|
Family ID: |
35479831 |
Appl. No.: |
11/152961 |
Filed: |
June 15, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60580674 |
Jun 17, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
273/269 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 1/04 20130101; A63F
3/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/269 |
International
Class: |
A63F 001/18 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for playing a lottery game, comprising the steps of:
providing a player with an option to obtain a random plurality of
symbols randomly chosen from a pool of unique symbols; awarding an
instant prize to said player if said plurality of symbols matches
one of a plurality of predefined subsets of symbols from said pool;
drawing a winning subset of symbols from said pool subsequent to
said providing step; and awarding a second prize to said player if
some number of symbols from said random plurality of symbols
matches said some number of symbols of said winning subset of
symbols.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein each one of said symbols in said
pool is unique.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein each one of said symbols in said
pool represents a different playing card from a deck of playing
cards, and wherein each one of said predefined subsets of symbols
represents a different winning hand according to a card game
utilizing the deck of playing cards.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said random plurality of symbols
is printed on a ticket at the time of said providing step.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
providing a player with an option for participating in the drawing
by allowing the player to select a chosen plurality of symbols from
the pool of symbols or allowing a computer to randomly select said
chosen plurality of symbols from said pool; and awarding a third
prize if some number or some other number of said chosen plurality
of symbols match said some number or some other number,
respectively, of symbols of said winning subset of symbols.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein each one of said symbols in said
pool is unique.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein each one of said symbols in said
pool represents a different playing card from a deck of playing
cards.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein said random plurality of symbols
and said chosen plurality of symbols are printed on at least one
ticket at the time of said providing steps.
9. The method of claim 5, wherein said second prize and said third
prize increase in value as said some number and/or said some other
number increase in value.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said some number and/or said
some other number is three or more.
11. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of providing a player
with an option for participating in the drawing includes the step
of the player using a player ticket having said pool of symbols
printed thereon for said selecting, such that the player marks said
chosen plurality of symbols on said card.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein each one of said symbols in
said pool represents a uniquely different playing card from a deck
of playing cards, and wherein each one of said predefined subsets
of symbols represents a different winning hand according to a card
game utilizing the deck of playing cards.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said random plurality of
symbols and said chosen plurality of symbols are printed on at
least one ticket at the time of said providing steps.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein said second prize and third
prize increase in value as said some number and/or said some other
number increase.
15. The method of claim 5, wherein each one of said symbols in said
pool represents a different playing card from a deck of playing
cards.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein each one of said predefined
subsets of symbols represents a different winning hand according to
a card game utilizing the deck of playing cards.
17. A method for playing a lottery game, comprising the steps of:
providing a random plurality of symbols randomly chosen from a pool
of unique symbols each representing a unique card from a deck of
playing cards used for a card game; allowing the player to select a
chosen plurality of symbols from said pool of symbols; awarding an
instant prize to said player if said plurality of symbols matches
one of a plurality of predefined subsets of symbols from said pool,
wherein each one of said predefined subsets of symbols represents a
different winning hand according to the card game; drawing a
winning subset of symbols from said pool subsequent to said
providing step; awarding a second prize to said player if some
number of symbols from said random plurality of symbols matches
said some number of symbols of said winning subset of symbols; and
awarding a third prize if some number or some other number of said
chosen plurality of symbols match said some number or some other
number, respectively, of symbols of said winning subset of
symbols.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein said random plurality of
symbols and said chosen plurality of symbols are printed on at
least one ticket at the time of said providing steps.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of allowing the
player to select a chosen plurality of symbols includes the step of
the player using a player ticket having said pool of symbols
printed thereon for said selecting, such that the player marks said
chosen plurality of symbols on said card.
20. A system for playing a lottery card game, comprising: means for
providing a random plurality of symbols randomly chosen from a pool
of unique symbols each representing a unique card from a deck of
playing cards used for a card game; means for allowing the player
to select a chosen plurality of symbols from the pool of symbols by
the player using a player ticket having said pool of symbols
printed thereon for said selecting, such that the player marks said
chosen plurality of symbols on said card and wherein said system
reads said card to determine said chosen plurality of symbols; and
means for printing at least one ticket with said random plurality
of symbols and said chosen plurality of symbols printed thereon;
means for drawing a winning subset of symbols from said pool
subsequent to said printing, wherein an instant prize is awarded to
the player if said plurality of symbols matches one of a plurality
of predefined subsets of symbols from said pool, wherein each one
of said predefined subsets of symbols represents a different
winning hand according to the card game; and wherein a second prize
is awarded to the player if some number of symbols from said random
plurality of symbols matches said some number of symbols of said
winning subset of symbols; and further wherein a third prize is
awarded to the player if some number or some other number of said
chosen plurality of symbols match said some number or some other
number, respectively, of symbols of said winning subset of symbols.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of provisional
application Ser. No. 60/580,674, filed on Jun. 17, 2004,
incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] The disclosure of this patent document contains material
which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has
no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent
document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and
Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all
copyright rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention relates to a gaming system and, more
particularly, to a lottery/casino type gaming system.
[0004] Lottery/casino type games of chance have exhibited enduring
popularity, because such games typically permit a player to make a
relatively small wager by buying a ticket with a chance of winning
a significantly large award. In addition to the entertainment value
that such games provide for the players, these types of games
typically provide a source of revenue for the operator, normally a
lottery, but sometimes a municipality or a business establishment,
or a casino.
[0005] One type of game system which has proven quite popular with
players is the so-called "instant" lottery ticket games. In this
type of game, the player purchases `scratch-off tickets for a
relatively nominal sum, with each ticket displaying gaming symbols,
selected ones of which may correspond to award values. In a typical
configuration, each ticket comprises a lamination of latex
scratch-off material covering the gaming symbols. The game symbols
are thus initially sealed, and are revealed by the player by
"scratching-off" the latex material. The Gumina U.S. Pat. No.
5,118,109 is a good example of the above.
[0006] Another type of game system which has also proven very
popular with players is a so-called "daily number" game. In this
type of game, the player chooses, for example, 3 numbers from a
field of 1,000 numbers, i.e., from 000 to 999. The lottery/operator
will generate a ticket with the player's numbers on it, along with
other information like the time and date. Typically, there is a bar
code printed on this ticket for verification purposes.
[0007] Upon completion of the selling period for the game, the
lottery/game operator will, for the example, randomly "draw" 3
numbers from the field of 1,000. Players then will match their
chosen numbers with those drawn by the lottery/operator to see if
there is a winning combination. It is worth noting that some people
utilize a feature called, for example, the "quick pick". In this
instance, the lottery/game operator randomly picks the numbers for
the player at the time of purchase and before the drawing. The
"quick pick" numbers are randomly generated by the lottery/operator
terminal, and the ticket is printed for the customer at that
time.
[0008] Additional related art is found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,733,385;
6,527,175; 6,599,187; 6,524,184; 6,572,107; 6,457,714; 6,435,500;
6,210,276; 5,718,432; 5,682,819; 5,657,991; 5,531,448; 5,158,293;
4,591,162; and 4,560,171; all incorporated by reference.
[0009] However, affording players an opportunity to win prize
amounts in different ways, and at different times, enhances the
entertainment value of a lottery game, and provides the lottery
with additional products for sale, potentially increasing revenue.
It has, therefore, been considered desirable to develop a new and
improved lottery/casino games, and methods for playing such
games.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Provided is a method for playing a lottery game, comprising
the steps of:
[0011] providing a random plurality of symbols randomly chosen from
a pool of unique symbols each representing a unique card from a
deck of playing cards used for a card game;
[0012] allowing the player to select a chosen plurality of symbols
from the pool of symbols;
[0013] awarding an instant prize to the player if the plurality of
symbols matches one of a plurality of predefined subsets of symbols
from the pool, wherein each one of the predefined subsets of
symbols represents a different winning hand according to the card
game;
[0014] drawing a winning subset of symbols from the pool subsequent
to the providing step;
[0015] awarding a second prize to the player if some number of
symbols from the random plurality of symbols matches the some
number of symbols of the winning subset of symbols; and
[0016] awarding a third prize if some number or some other number
of the chosen plurality of symbols match the some number or some
other number, respectively, of symbols of the winning subset of
symbols.
[0017] Also provided is a system for playing a lottery game,
comprising: means for providing a random plurality of symbols
randomly chosen from a pool of unique symbols each representing a
unique card from a deck of playing cards used for a card game;
means for allowing the player to select a chosen plurality of
symbols from the pool of symbols by the player using a player
ticket having the pool of symbols printed thereon for the
selecting, such that the player marks the chosen plurality of
symbols on the card and wherein the system reads the card to
determine the chosen plurality of symbols; means for printing at
least one ticket with the random plurality of symbols and the
chosen plurality of symbols printed thereon; and means for drawing
a winning subset of symbols from the pool subsequent to the
printing.
[0018] An instant prize is awarded to the player if the plurality
of symbols matches one of a plurality of predefined subsets of
symbols from the pool, wherein each one of the predefined subsets
of symbols represents a different winning hand according to the
card game. A second prize is awarded to the player if some number
of symbols from the random plurality of symbols matches the some
number of symbols of the winning subset of symbols. Furthermore, a
third prize is awarded to the player if some number or some other
number of the chosen plurality of symbols match the some number or
some other number, respectively, of symbols of the winning subset
of symbols.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The patent or application file contains drawings protected
by copyright.
[0020] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art
to which the present invention relates upon reading the following
description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0021] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an example of a
player card, for supporting one embodiment of the invention.
[0022] FIG. 1a is a blow up of a section of the player card of FIG.
1.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of an example ticket
showing data structure employed by one aspect of the invention.
[0024] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of an example of a
quick pick ticket showing data structure employed by another aspect
of the invention.
[0025] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of a combination
ticket of still another aspect of the invention; and
[0026] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the major components that
might be utilized to implement a system to implement a game of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention,
a system for use in playing a game of chance is provided. The
system includes a plurality of playing cards, or symbols
representing each card of a deck of playing cards. For example, a
ball may be marked with symbols representing playing cards, or the
playing card may be displayed on a computer monitor, for example.
Furthermore, each card of the deck of playing cards might re
presented by a printed symbol, such as a number or letter over a
graphic representing the card suite, for example.
[0028] A standard "deck" of 52 cards typically comprises 2 through
ace (A) of each suite of clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades. In the
first aspect of the game, the lottery/game operator, which might
include a retailer or other party authorized to participate in the
lottery, can provide the player with a "player card", with each of
the 52 cards of a deck of cards represented by a unique symbol,
thus forming a pool of symbols. An example embodiment of a player
card 1 is shown in FIG. 1, which has five play areas so that the
player can play multiple games using a single card.
[0029] The player card 1 is arranged so that the player can choose
his favorite 5 cards by marking the appropriate player card
symbols. Note that the number "5" is chosen for the first aspect of
the invention because that is the typical number of cards chosen
for a popular version of the game of poker, but other numbers of
cards could also be chosen, such as 6 or 7, for example. In
particular, using 7 cards is also particularly desirable because it
represents an additional version of poker that is also popular.
However, even more additional games, including non-poker games, can
be implemented to utilize different numbers and/or types of
cards.
[0030] Lottery/casino operators can offer the player card 1 of FIG.
1 to the customer or player at a place of ticket purchase, for
example. FIG. 1a is a blow up of the play area A of FIG. 1, showing
the 52 card deck individual card symbols, 2 through ace of clubs, 2
through ace of diamonds, 2 through ace of spades, and 2 through ace
of hearts for a single poker game. In particular, note the 9 of
clubs symbol 10, the Queen of diamonds symbol 12, the 7 of spades
symbol 14, and the ace of hearts symbol 16. Other symbols are
similarly shown. There is also a QP box 18 provided for the player
to choose a "quick pick" option (described below), and a "void" box
for voiding the play area should the player make a mistake, for
example.
[0031] The player chooses his set of 5 (or other number of) cards
by darkening the box of the symbol with a pencil or pen, for
example. The player returns the marked player card 1 to the lottery
agent/game operator with any of A through E play areas marked with
the player's desired sets of 5 (or other number of) card symbols
(representing the player's cards). The operator in turn feeds the
card into the lottery/operator terminal, which is likely a computer
terminal of a type known in the art, where the player card 1 is
read or scanned, and an official player ticket is printed or
generated, with the players chosen cards for each of the games
played shown on the ticket in symbol form, for example.
[0032] An example of such a ticket is shown in FIG. 2, which
represents a single game A played at line 22, showing a 10 of
Hearts, a Jack of Spades, a Queen of Diamonds, a King of Clubs, and
an Ace of Diamonds. Note that the ticket also shows the title of
the lottery 23, the game name 24, the date 25, cost information 26,
a bar code 27, and any additional desired information.
[0033] For this first aspect of the invention, the player has a
chance to win on the "drawing" of the game. At a later time,
typically at a scheduled time, for example, the lottery/game
operator will draw, at random, symbols representing 5 cards from
the field of 52. This could be done, for example, by choosing 5
balls from a collection of 52 balls, each appropriately marked with
a corresponding card symbol. The results are then posted in some
fashion to communicate the results to the player, such as online or
on a bulletin board or display, or otherwise communicated to
players, such as via television, radio, or a newspaper, for
example.
[0034] The player will then try to match his chosen 5 cards for
each game played to the winning subset of cards "drawn" by the
lottery/game operator. Prize pay out will be afforded all players
who match all 5 cards of the winning subste, maybe a reduced prize
for 4 cards that match the cards of the winning subset, and perhaps
even a 3 card match, for example. Because the chance of picking all
5 cards is low, the prize payout for such a win could be made
substantially large. Of course, different numbers of cards can be
drawn for winning subsets, and different numbers of matches
required for a prize, depending on the version of the game and/or
the odds of winning desired.
[0035] Jackpots could be made progressive if no player wins a given
drawing, such that some portion of the prize that was not won is
added to the prizes for the subsequent game. This can be repeated
until one or more winners obtain the prize, for example, causing
increased jackpots and thus possibly increasing interest in the
game.
[0036] A second aspect of the present invention also calls for the
above standard 52 playing cards or a similar game, but in this
instance the game is enhanced by the random draw "quick pick"
feature. At the time of purchase, the player will order from the
lottery/operator a "quick pick" random subset of cards/symbols. The
player may, or may not, use the player card as defined above. If
the player card is used, the "QP box" is marked for the "quick
pick" feature. Alternatively, the player might request one or more
"quick pick" plays directly from the operator, such as orally, for
example.
[0037] In this instance, the lottery/operator terminal will
generate/print a ticket with the symbols for 5 (or another number
of) cards randomly drawn by the terminal for the player. This
feature allows for a separate prize pool from the drawing
prize.
[0038] The player is thus given an opportunity to win instantly by
drawing a predetermined winning hand. The player attempts to match
his random set of "cards" with one of a plurality of winning hand
of cards each made up of a subset of the cards of the deck of
cards, for example.
[0039] An example game would be if the player were to "draw" a
ticket with a winning poker hand, such as a pair of jacks, for
example. A larger prize would be offered for each ascending poker
hand value, according to the probability of drawing that hand. The
order would typically be 2 pair, 3 of a kind, a straight, a flush,
a full house, 4 of a kind, and a straight flush typically being the
highest rank. Different card games would typically have different
winning hands, but the principle is the same. Furthermore, card
games utilizing wild cards (e.g., "deuces wild"), or additional
wild cards added to the deck, (e.g., two joker cards in a "deck" of
54), could also be utilized. Such games may be known as variations
of poker play.
[0040] Players would also have a second chance to win by matching
their 5 "quick pick" cards to the 5 cards that will be drawn by the
lottery/operator at the later scheduled drawing, as outlined above
for the first aspect of the invention. This play style may be more
attractive to some players, as it affords them the instant
gratification of possibly winning at the time of purchase, with no
messy scratch off tickets to execute, coupled with the excitement
of potentially winning a larger jackpot at a later time.
[0041] Obviously, for a game utilizing the instant win feature, the
player cannot choose his five cards as in the first aspect, because
the player would obviously choose a winning combination. Thus, only
a randomized option is available for the instant win option.
Furthermore, the use of wild cards may, or may not, have an impact
on the drawing portion of the game. For example, using deuces wild
might have no impact on the drawing, requiring an exact match to
win drawing prizes, while using a wild card such as a joker might
be accommodated by also allowing a "wild card" function in the
drawing, but perhaps at reduced prizes.
[0042] FIG. 3 shows an example of a ticket generated by playing a
single "quick pick" example game as described above. The game line
32 shows a 6 of hearts, a 4 of diamonds, a king of spades, a 10 of
hearts, and a 10 of clubs. Note that the ticket has a pair of 10's,
which may be a winning hand, although some games might restrict
winning hands to require higher pairs, such as a pair of Jacks or
better, for example, or a three-of-a-kind or better might be
required. Note that the "quick pick" option is noted by the QP
symbol 34.
[0043] A third aspect of the present invention calls for the above
two aspects being combined. That is, a player can pick their 5
favorite cards by utilizing the player card. On the player card, in
addition to the 52 cards, is a box for the "quick pick" option. The
player having picked their favorite 5 cards, and also marking the
"quick pick" option box, returns the card to the lottery agent/game
operator.
[0044] The lottery/operator inserts the player card into the
terminal and it is read or scanned. The terminal prints or
generates a ticket with two lines of play, such as that shown in
the example of FIG. 4. The first line 42 can have the players 5
chosen cards, and the second line 44 can be the 5 randomly drawn
cards from the quick pick option. The player then has a ticket that
affords him/her the chance to win an instant cash prize and
possibly the drawing prize by way of the quick pick option, and
also holds a ticket with his favorite or "lucky" chosen cards for
the drawing as well.
[0045] There are various ways that this third aspect could be
implemented. For example, the "quick pick" option might provide
only an instant game, and with only the chosen cards being used for
the drawing, or both the chosen cards and the quick pick cards
might qualify for the drawing. In this second version, the quick
pick option may be made to cost more than the chosen card option,
because it affords two chances to win (i.e., both the instant win
and the drawing win).
[0046] Thus, pricing for the various aspects of the invention could
be that the chosen cards cost $1 per game, for example, but the
"quick pick" might cost $2, for example, if it also provides a
chance to win the drawing. There might also be alternatives to
purchase a "quick pick" instant option only, that could not be used
for the drawing, for example, at a lower cost.
[0047] Furthermore, note that a player could choose numerous plays
by using more than one of the areas A-E shown in the example player
ticket of FIG. 1. Note that a player could also play numerous quick
picks on the same card, resulting in as many as 5 chosen card plays
and 5 quick pick plays for the same card. Of course, other
combinations and numbers of plays per card are possible, and a
player could use numerous player cards to play additional
games.
[0048] For the second and third aspects of the invention, the
ticket might utilize a feature that allows the immediate cashing in
of a winning instant play, but also allows the player to retain the
ticket or a portion of the ticket to play the drawing portion of
the game as well. Such a ticket could utilize features similar to
those found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,671, for example, incorporated
herein by reference. Alternatively, the player might provide the
operator with the ticket, and the operator would mark the ticket in
some fashion to show that the ticket has already been redeemed for
the instant payout. This marking could be done automatically by a
machine that scans the ticket to verify it as a winning ticket, for
example.
[0049] FIG. 5 shows a possible embodiment of a system for playing
the games disclosed herein. The player 51 can submit the player
card 53 to an operator of the lottery terminal 52. The lottery
terminal 52, which is likely computerized, then prints the lottery
ticket 54 which is returned to the player 51. The player can then
check to see if he has won an instant game, if played. If an
instant game is won, the player might return the ticket 54 to the
operator of the terminal 52. The terminal 52 then verifies that the
ticket is a winning ticket, such as by reading a bar code on the
ticket, and then the operator may pay the player the prize.
[0050] The terminal 52 or its operator may mark the ticket in some
fashion to show that the instant prize was paid out, and the
terminal 52 will likely record that fact. Alternatively, the player
may be required to surrender his ticket to the lottery for payment
of the instant prize, after which the terminal 52 prints a new
replacement ticket with the appropriate numbers for the drawing
portion of play. These numbers would include a copy of any chosen
numbers on the original ticket and/or a copy of the quick pick
numbers for the drawing. These could be automatically printed based
on the ticket coding as determined by the terminal 52. The ticket
may then note that the instant prize has already been paid out, or
that the numbers are only good for the drawing, for example.
[0051] Later, a drawing machine 55, which may be computerized, or
may be a ball machine, for example, then draws a winning subset of
cards, as described above. The player 51 is notified of the winning
subset via some communication channel 56, which could be
television, radio, the internet, a bulletin board, newspaper, or
display, for example. The communication channel 56 may be in
contact with the drawing machine 55, or a central computer 56
(described below), for example. Then, the player can turn in a
winning ticket, if any, to the lottery terminal 52 for prize
payout, or the player may need to turn the ticket in to some other
authority in order to obtain larger prizes.
[0052] The central computer 56, or alternatively a set of
distributed computers, will typically keep track of the operation
of the lottery terminal, the prize payouts, and will likely provide
oversight for the system to prevent fraud, for example, and to
avoid improper multiple payouts (likely by monitoring a serial
number of tickets that have had prized paid for). As another
alternative, one or both of the Lottery terminal 52, and drawing
machine 55 may be combined with the central computer 56, if
desired. Even the communication channel 56 might be combined with
the above components to create a self-contained device that might
be found in a casino, for example, such that a single computerized
terminal performs the functions of each of these components and
displays the drawing results to the player using some type of
graphical or alphanumeric display of any known type, for
example.
[0053] The above system might be implemented to utilize existing
lottery equipment, for example, requiring some amount of new
programming in order to support the games disclosed herein.
Alternatively, the system may be put together from scratch.
[0054] As a further option, the system could be utilized for a
multi-state, multi-jurisdiction, or multi-casino game. Such an
option might allow the use of much larger prized for the drawing,
in particular for situations where the odds of winning the drawing
are very low, leading to common roll-over prizes. In such a case,
the system may need to communicate over much larger distances or
with more diverse terminal designs, thus possibly requiring a more
flexible design.
[0055] The invention has been described hereinabove using specific
examples and embodiments; however, it will be understood by those
skilled in the art that various alternatives may be used and
equivalents may be substituted for elements and/or steps described
herein, without deviating from the scope of the invention.
Modifications may be necessary to adapt the invention to a
particular situation or to particular needs without departing from
the scope of the invention. It is intended that the invention not
be limited to the particular implementations and embodiments
described herein, but that the claims be given their broadest
interpretation to cover all embodiments, literal or equivalent,
disclosed or not, covered thereby.
* * * * *